I remember getting the call from U.S. Department of Commerce
extending an invite to my company, Louroe
Electronics, to accompany Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker on her
first-ever trade mission to Mexico. I was truly humbled and enthusiastic about
this unique opportunity.

I’ve served as the CEO of Van Nuys-based Louroe Electronics, the world leader in audio
monitoring technology, for more than 5 years now and was thrilled to receive
the call. I was beyond excited to learn that Louroe was handpicked by
the Department of Commerce - the only Southern California and sole security company- along with 16 other export-ready companies, to be a part of The
Secretary’s historic trade mission. The mission specifically focused on
promoting U.S. exports in key industry sectors including advanced
manufacturing, information and communications technology, and security
products.

From February 3-7, I personally traveled with Secretary Pritzker to Mexico City
and Monterrey alongside other leading companies including: IBM Corporation,
Motorola Solutions, Inc., Oracle Corporation, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, and Deloitte
Consulting LLP. Our mutual goal was to
promote U.S exports. This trade mission helped facilitate introductions to key
government and private sector decision makers in Mexico who shared with us key
initiatives and how US companies can assist with development and growth.

As a result of my participation in the trade mission, I was
able to successfully identify five new pilot projects for Louroe that will
focus on improving public safety throughout Mexico City and Monterrey. This is
great news not only for Louroe but also for the Los Angeles economy as the
pilot programs will require us to increase our current staffing by approximately 10 percent,
ultimately creating more jobs.

Guest blog post by Mr. Rudy Torres, Director of International Business for all Government Public Safety Radio Communication for EFJohnson Technologies of Irving, Texas.

Established in 1923, EFJohnson has a long history of providing mission critical communication solutions and is one of only three companies in the land mobile radio industry today that has developed a full line of Project 25 products. EFJohnson focuses on delivering the highest quality, innovative, and cost-effective Project 25 solutions for public safety, military, and government entities.

Being a representative on the trade mission to Mexico was a very positive experience. The inclusion of small and medium business was very important to us. Secretary Pritzker provided equal access to all companies on the mission regardless of size. It was a great opportunity for a medium company like ours to show its agility and focus to an audience normally reserved for larger companies.

Secretary Pritzker’s commitment and presence at all functions brought out the higher levels of government officials and administrators. All participating companies were provided access to key policy makers and business leaders. Secretary Pritzker also opened her personal network of business associates and introduced the delegation to top leaders of the business community both in Mexico City and Monterrey.

Guest blog post by Anne Altman, general manager of IBM US Federal Government and Industries, and Dan Pelino, general manager of IBM's public sector business.

IBM believes in a vision of economic development and vitality where technology helps drive more active and engaged communities through citizen-based services, including health care, infrastructure, public safety, supply chain and education, all enabling "smarter" regions and societies.

The dominant cities, regions and countries around the world today are planning for long-term growth to build their economic competitive advantage. They are doing this by collaborating across levels of government, industry and academia - working across political, social and technological divides to achieve bigger, better and more sustainable outcomes in jobs, business environments and citizen quality of life.

This is why we were honored to be part of the U.S. business delegation to Mexico - deepening our relationships with government and business leaders, some of which we’ve held for many years, since IBM first opened for business in Mexico in 1927. We share Secretary Pritzker’s belief that Mexico is an important growth market on its own, a key trade partner to the USA and perhaps the world. This is why we are investing in opening up a cloud computing data center in Mexico City later this year. We believe that Mexico can benefit from the adoption of new technology to enable their cities and States for the future.

As the general managers of IBM’s public sector and Federal business units, respectively, we are always looking for opportunities to share best practices in business and government and learn from the experience of others. Mexico is our neighbor and partner, and it was rewarding to spend several days in such insightful discussions with the leaders in business, academia and government.

On Friday, U.S. Commerce Secretary
Penny Pritzker concluded her five-day trade mission in Monterrey, the largest
business center in Mexico after Mexico City.

Among her many trade mission
events, Secretary Pritzker met with Margarita Arellanes Cervantes, Mayor of
Monterrey, and Jose Luis Pier Castello, President of Lowe's Mexico - one of the
leading hardware chains in the world - to highlight the importance of promoting
corporate social responsibility and to recognize Lowe's and other American
companies doing business in Mexico for their focus on these efforts. At a
Lowe's store in Monterrey, Secretary Pritzker expressed her appreciation for
employee volunteerism and acknowledged the importance of companies' involvement
in the communities in which they operate.

After Lowe's opened its first two
stores in Monterrey in 2010, the company, began looking for ways to get
involved in the Monterrey community. The company has since supported local
schools with donations, volunteer time, and construction expertise. Secretary
Pritzker said that Lowe's commitment to the Monterrey community reflects the
values of many American companies that invest in Mexico, and that U.S.
companies are committed to staying active in the region.

In addition to meeting with Mexican
government officials in Monterrey, Secretary Pritzker met with employees at the
U.S. Consulate in Monterrey as well as the Department of Commerce’s Monterrey
team, thanking them for their public service and for their assistance in
promoting Mexican investment in the United States.

Yesterday, U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker
toured Monterrey’s Research and Technology Park (Parque de Investigación e
Innovación Tecnológica; PIIT in Spanish), a project that seeks to build
competitiveness in the state of Nuevo Leon and northern Mexico by leading the
transformation into an innovation and knowledge-based economy.

PIIT is based on a model that aligns the government,
universities, and the private sector to achieve economic growth through
innovation. To that end, the PIIT serves both as a R&D Center and
incubator, focusing on 10 industry clusters considered strategic by the state
of Nuevo Leon – including IT and software, medical services, biotechnology,
automotive and auto parts and advanced manufacturing among others.

Accompanied by Secretary of Economic Development Rolando
Zubiran and Institute for Innovation and Technology CEO Jaime Parada, Secretary
Pritzker praised PIIT and its staff for encouraging public and private
partnerships and spurring innovation in Mexico.

Innovation is a major pillar of the Commerce Department’s
“Open for Business Agenda,” and Secretary Pritzker saw how Monterrey utilizes
R&D dollars and cutting-edge sites such as PIIT to create dynamic
clusters that accelerate economic growth and international competitiveness.

In fact, PIIT also includes university and public
research centers, private research centers and incubators. Specific
entities at PIIT include the University of Texas’ Global Center for Innovation
and Entrepreneurship, as well as PepsiCo, General Electric and Motorola – each
maintaining a facility in collaboration with a Mexican partner.

As part of her first trade mission, U.S. Secretary of
Commerce Penny Pritzker spoke at a breakfast event focused on entrepreneurship,
innovation, and overall growth in the U.S.-Mexico commercial and economic
relationship. The event was hosted by
the American Chamber of Commerce and the Mexico-United States Entrepreneurship
and Innovation Council (MUSEIC). She was
joined by Enrique Jacob Rocha, President of the Mexican National
Entrepreneurship Institute (INADEM).

MUSEIC builds on the long history of U.S.-Mexico economic
cooperation. Founded shortly after
President Obama’s visit to Mexico in May 2013, MUSEIC brings together
stakeholders from both countries to strengthen regional economic competitiveness
and support entrepreneurship. In 2013, MUSEIC sponsored a number of
entrepreneurship-related activities, including an angel investment conference,
a startup boot camp for young Mexican entrepreneurs, and an international forum
on women’s entrepreneurship.

In her remarks, Secretary Pritkzer discussed the Commerce
Department’s involvement in MUSEIC. For example, the Department is helping to
map out the commercial and educational assets in the border regions of
Tijuana-San Diego and Monterrey-Texas.
Also, in April, the Commerce Department will host government, business,
and university leaders from Mexico and other countries to tour research,
innovation, and entrepreneurship hubs in the Southern United States. The event will spotlight public-private partnerships
that accelerate new technologies, attract foreign direct investment, and more.
Secretary Pritzker also announced that the next MUSEIC meeting will take place
in April in San Antonio, Texas.

As the Chair of the President’s Committee on Global
Entrepreneurship (PCGE), Secretary Pritzker is committed to working with
leaders from around the world to help create an economic environment that
encourages entrepreneurship in North America and around the world. She said, "The United States and Mexico
can set the stage for entrepreneurs on both sides of the border to come
together, make breakthroughs, launch new firms, and strengthen our economic
competitiveness."

It is the second day of U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny
Pritzker’s five-day business development mission to Mexico, and she has already
met with several of her Mexican counterparts to discuss the countries’
bilateral commercial relationship and opportunities for U.S. businesses.

On Monday evening, Secretary Pritzker talked with Luis
Videgaray, Secretary of Finance, about increasing efficiency at the border.
Secretary Pritzker and Secretary Videgaray have met four times, including in
September at the High-Level Economic Dialogue (HLED) in Mexico City.

On Tuesday, Secretary Pritzker met with three more
Mexican leaders to discuss trade and investment between the United States and
Mexico. In the morning, she sat down with Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal,
Secretary of Economy. Their conversation also focused on the progress of the
HLED and the need to continue to do more to incorporate stakeholder input and
regularly monitor progress. Before their meeting ended, Secretary Guajardo lead
Secretary Pritzker on a quick tour of the “NAFTA at 20” exhibit, in celebration
of the twentieth anniversary of the implementation of the free trade agreement.
Negotiations are currently underway for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP),
which updates some of the provisions of NAFTA and will cover trade between the
United States, Mexico, Canada, and nine other countries in the Asia-Pacific
region.

Later that morning, Secretary Pritzker joined Under
Secretary for Communications Jose Ignacio Peralta, Under Secretary for
Infrastructure Juan Murietta, and Under Secretary for Transportation Carlos
Almada for a meeting with part of the U.S. business delegation. Under Secretary
Peralta gave the companies an overview of Mexico’s recently-passed
telecommunications reforms and shared further opportunities for U.S.
companies invest in Mexico’s
telecommunications and IT sectors.

U.S.
Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker officially began her five-day trade
mission to Mexico today, starting the trip in Mexico City. She is joined by
representatives from 17 U.S. companies looking to expand partnerships and
develop effective strategies for accessing and doing business in the Mexican
market.

The
focus of this trade mission is to promote U.S. exports to Mexico by
helping export-ready U.S. companies launch or increase their business in a
number of key industry sectors including advanced manufacturing,
information and communications technology, and health IT and medical devices.
The companies joining the Secretary address the demand of these growing industries
in Mexico.

“The
17 companies who have joined me on this important mission represent the best of
American business. These outstanding and innovative companies understand
that selling American products overseas is a crucial component to growing and
creating jobs,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker said. “I am
delighted we can help these companies expand their presence in Mexico through
this business development mission.”

The
U.S.-Mexico bilateral relationship is among the
United States’ closest and most extensive in the world and one of the reasons
it was selected by Secretary Pritzker as the destination for her first trade
mission. Mexico is the United States’ third-largest trading partner, and
approximately $1.3 billion of merchandise trade and one million people cross
the 2,000 mile shared border daily. In addition, deeply integrated supply
chains in North America and an established free trade agreement make it easy
for Mexico and the U.S. to do business with one another.